CULTURAL HERO
CULTURAL HERO is a mythological character acquiring or creating living conditions for people (e.g. fire, tools, cultural plants etc.). He teaches them to hunt, to do crafts, art, create social organization, magical rules, rituals, holidays etc. C.H. is also considered as one who participated in the world’s creation: he established celestial bodies, regulated the seasons, day and night change etc. Next appear the myths about nature and cultural objects originally guarded by spirits-masters. There is a syncretic indivisible unity of the first ancestor – demiurge – C.H. in archaic mythology of different peoples. The connection with the totem ancestors explains the names and attributes connected with animals, partial zoomorphism of many C.H.: a raven, a wolf, a coyote, a horse, a swan, an elephant and others (see Animism, Totemism). “Ural-batyr” epic tells about the sametitled C.H. who was a fighter against natural powers (Azhdakha, Diyu, Katil and others). He was praising life and good and his sons Idel, Nugush, Sakmar, Yaik provide water for people and nature. There is also Mineybatyr who is an outstanding C.H. in the cycle of Bashkir epics. He acquired and granted cattle to the Bashkirs (see “Miney-batyr and Shulgen tsar”) and to others. C.H. has magic power, a magic sword, a heavenly horse and other things. He
often must oppose his brother or twinbrother.
F.A. Nadrshina
